Hearing protection shelf life dates - when does it expire and how long can it be used
Hearing protection does not last indefinitely and has an expiry date.
This table lists some available information for hearing protector shelf life (its expiry date) and how long it can be actually used.
For more background on hearing protection expiry see How long does hearing protection last
Key points: Hearing protection shelf life / expiry information
Ear muffs and plugs do expire over time.
This can apply even where they are in storage, they don’t have to be in actual use in many cases.
There are limits on how many times some hearing protection can be used.
Some protectors have other requirements for continued use, for example some muffs should have the cushions changed every six months to continue using them.
Expiry limits apply to muffs, plugs and even custom plugs or muffs with Bluetooth and music playback.
For more information on why hearing protection expires, what the terminology such as DoM means, etc. this page on hearing protection shelf life has more explanation.
Date of Manufacture. Most hearing protection has a count-down service life / expiry date which starts from the day it was made, not the day you bought it or when it was first used. This will be on the packaging somewhere.
Some companies do however use the date it is first used so you will see Date of Manufacture or First Use in the ‘shelf life starts’ column as appropriate.
| Protector▲ | Shelf life▲ | Shelf life starts▲ | Data source▲ | Service life▲ |
|---|
DoM = date of manufacture. Shelf life is how long unused protectors can be stored before they should be used; service life is how long they last once in use.
Additional notes:
Discard if damaged: The muffs saying ‘discard if damaged’ means there are no replaceable parts, you cannot change the cushions if they get worn or crack, and the entire muff should be thrown away and replaced.
Honeywell: All Honeywell’s range and branding was sold to PIP in 2025 but it is still sold under the Honeywell name.
Moldex: For the banded plugs, Moldex only say ‘unlimited’ but I would guess this refers to the plastic band and not the soft foam tips. Moldex do not give a specific shelf life for the changeable tips but as their other foam plugs have a stated shelf life of four years then this would be the prudent time period to use.
Scan: A handy tip for Scan muffs is that if the marking on the muff says ‘CE’ and doesn’t show ‘UKCA’ then they will be beyond their shelf life now. (Scan’s older products without the UKCA have a three year shelf life rather than the current five years).
"Unlimited" shelf life: This is always subject to the manufacturer's storage and maintenance requirements being met, this means cleaning and/or changing of replaceable parts such as cushions.
Banded plugs: These often say to ‘change the tips when dirty’. They are different to standard foam ear plugs as they sit on the opening of the ear canal rather than going into it, hence their ability to re-expand after use is not overly critical. That’s why you see the ‘change when dirty’ proviso for some banded plugs but not for disposable foam ear plugs.
More advice and guidance on specific areas of hearing protection at work
As I have spent over 30 years working in workplace noise safety, I’ve identified some of the common issues and questions which come up with hearing protection and put together short articles giving advice and guidance on them.
